Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily reporter Ren Jiang
On his 60th birthday, someone gave Zhou Shaodong a crutch, which he liked and took every time he went out. At the age of 70, he threw his crutches into the storage room, dyed his hair black, and began to work with people to grow medicinal herbs, "Now I am afraid that people will say that I am old, and I am still starting a business." ”
Zhou Shaodong checked the growth of medicinal herbs in the field. Photo by Ren Jiang, reporter of Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily
Zhou Shaodong, 72, is now the chairman of Xinjiang Zero Plan Yishengyuan Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd. Previously, he had a lot of experience - in 1996, he came from Henan to Xinjiang to work hard, doing agricultural product planting, sales, etc. in Xinjiang, the business became bigger and bigger, and he was well-known in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture and Aksu Region. Later, as he grew older, he slowly handed over his business to his sons, intending to enjoy the blessings. Unexpectedly, I met several businessmen who came to Xinjiang to develop the Chinese herbal medicine industry, and everyone was very close. In 2019, the 70-year-old Zhou Shaodong "re-emerged from the jianghu", became the chairman again, and started a new business in the medicinal material planting and processing industry that he had never set foot in.
In Late October in Xinjiang, the autumn colors are already thick. Located in the Demonstration Base of Chinese Medicinal Materials flower sea in Changji National Agricultural Science and Technology Park, various medicinal herbs have been harvested. Zhou Shaodong pointed to the field in front of him, telling the development plan, and his interest was not reduced by half a point, "The Changji Laolonghe area, regardless of climate or soil, is very suitable for growing Chinese herbal medicine, and the medicinal effect is higher than that of similar products in many places." This year, 7 varieties of medicinal materials have been planted here, a total of more than 5200 acres of medicinal materials, which have produced benefits, and the 'sea of Flowers of Chinese Medicinal Materials' has begun to take shape, and in the future, the planting area of the base will be expanded to 10,000 mu. ”
Zhou Shaodong introduced the demonstration base of Chinese herbal medicine flower sea. Photo by Ren Jiang, reporter of Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily
At present, the investment in the Demonstration Base of Chinese Herbal Medicine Huahai has reached tens of millions of yuan, of which Zhou Shaodong has invested 5 million yuan, and he has also mortgaged his house for this purpose. Friends advised him to be cautious, after all, he had never been exposed to Chinese herbal medicine cultivation before, "I am 72 years old, I can't waste any more time, I have the opportunity to do it, and cherish it." He said.
The Chinese herbal medicine planting base is adjacent to the Yanglin Scenic Area of Laolonghe in Changji, and Zhou Shaodong and his partners plan the future development blueprint - 10,000 mu of Chinese herbal medicine demonstration base, medicinal materials deep processing base, traditional Chinese medicine research and development, Chinese herbal medicine health care base, tourism... Further extend and expand the industrial chain of Chinese herbal medicine cultivation, and form the planting, processing, sales and flower tourism of Chinese herbal medicines.
Zhou Shaodong looks forward to the future development of the Demonstration Base of Chinese Herbal Medicines and Flowers. Photo by Ren Jiang, reporter of Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily
The career is in the initial stage, Zhou Shaodong works more than 10 hours a day, but he does not feel hard at all, "Some people like to play cards when they are idle, some people like to drink, I am busy with various things every day, my brain is not idle, it is a good enjoyment and exercise." ”
In the past two years, Zhou Shaodong has not taken the initiative to talk about his age, "You can't feel that you are old, you must maintain your passion." "At work, he's more energetic than the young. The partner once praised him as "the old Ji Fuzhi is in a thousand miles", and Zhou Shaodong liked it very much, planning to find someone to write it down and hang it in the office to encourage himself.